Policemen freed of charge, remain on suspension

Police officers Anthony Charles and Glenroy Pitt gave a collective sigh of relief after a man who claimed they stole $3,600 from him told the court on Friday, February 10, that he no longer has any interest in the matter.{{more}}

Charles, 30, of Vermont and Pitt, 23, of Chapmans Village walked from the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court after Andy ‘Blacka’ Bennett made his decision known to the court.

The men were alleged to have stolen Bennett’s money on August 6, 2011, while Bennet was in custody.

“I want the court to give me my money. I don’t want anything to do with this case,” Bennett, 53, declared.

Senior Magistrate Donald Browne then told the court that: “I am going to dismiss this case, because he does not have interest in the matter.”

It was alleged that Bennett, a farmer, was taken into custody on Friday, August 5, 2011, with a mixture of Eastern Caribbean and United States currency in his possession.

It was also alleged that the custody officer, along with Bennett, signed in agreement about the total sum of money taken from Bennett.

When the shift changed the next morning, and the money was checked, it was revealed that the money in the custody of the police was less than the amount which had been signed for.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) was called in and the investigations led to the men’s arrest on Sunday, August 7.

Charles and Pitt, however, remain on suspension pending a decision on their future in the police force, Commissioner of Police Keith Miller told SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday.